Holiday to america

[korvin karbon]

Hi Guys

Decided that i have had enough of the snow so want to go on a wee tour through the southern US.

Any tips or advice on how to do it? I had thought about getting a greyhound pass but ive read several stories of some rather nasty experiences with bags goign missing, overbooked buses etc etc.

Dont mind going on a group tour.

Ideally wanting to go for 14 - 20 days. Must be back by 13th of Feb :-(

cheers

 

[Walks with dogs]

Hire a car and drive? Its easy enough to drive over there, I've done a bit round Arkansas , Memphis and Nashville. No real problems, cheap motels, freedom to go where you want and when.

 

[johnnytheboy]

I'll second that, we went out of Minneapolis right up the side of Lake Superior, hotels are cheap and chearful, with a good old breakfast chucked in and car hire is cheap enough.

 

[Martin1]

Hire car would prob be best bet. Greyhound stations can be dodgy (I know, I have spent 15 years in the USA) if you dont keep your eyes open or look like a tourist. Thats because the real poor travel by greyhound and along with them some of the dregs of course.
But overall I would say you will love it. Dont be frightened america is a safer than you think. More so than here in my opinion unless you are going into the projects at 3am to buy crack etc. Theres lots of cops around (unlike here) and they dont mess about (unlike here) and the general populace dont stand for gangs of yobs running wild (unlike here).
So go enjoy. Its great. The people are very polite (more so than here) and very friendly too.
Stay away from the tourist trails and crap and see the real america too.
I'll second what everyone says about driving. Its so easy and the roads are traffic free once you are out of the big cities. Its easier to do 1000 miles there than it is 300 here. Most things are cheap (or were, the pound is worth s.f.a now damnit) and the choice of eateries and diners is fantastic. So much so I put on 3 stone at one point. I'd never seen a steak till I went there. ha!
The service is excellent and the facilities usually are always nice and clean. I've never seen that here!
I'm sounding like a commercial for the USA now.
Yeeeh haw! oh happy memories for me.
I miss it so much.

 

[korvin karbon]

im thinking about new orleans

i would drive but as stupid as it sounds i have only ever driven on the wrong side of the road in a right hand drive car LOL (trip to germany)

 

[Walks with dogs]

Takes about thirty seconds to get used to it. Honestly, you'll be fine.

And I second what Martin says, America is a friendly and very polite place from all I've seen.

 

[MattF]

Have a look in a Bass Pro shop if you can while your there and enjoy america it a nice place and do the fly drive you will get to see more

Matt

ps Have a good time

 

[robin wood]

If I had 14-20 days I think I would be deciding East or West unless you want to do the big road trip across Texas by interstate which is frankly boring (sorry Texans). If you want to do New Orleans I would include a trip down through Florida and right out onto the Keys, that is where you will get real sun, sand and palm trees. Road trips in the US are great and driving easy.

Another alternative more off the tourist track is the South Georgia Mountains which I loved.

If you wanted a different experience head out West to Arizona and New Mexico and pretend to be John Wayne, huge expanses of wonderful scrub/desert. I once hitched from Jacksonville to LA in 3 1/2 days but it's a long way across.

 

[Mesquite]

.... West unless you want to do the big road trip across Texas by interstate which is frankly boring (sorry Texans).

There's lots of places in Texas that aren't boring Robin and some fantastic scenery as well there. Ansel Adams loved Big Bend National Park

 

[robin wood]

There's lots of places in Texas that aren't boring Robin and some fantastic scenery as well there. Ansel Adams loved Big Bend National Park

Fair cop, big bend does look great and I have not explored Texas, but the interstate across it is long and boring. If you had 14-20 days and wanted to include New Orleans where would you head?

 

[Mesquite]

Fair cop, big bend does look great and I have not explored Texas, but the interstate across it is long and boring.

I won't disagree with you on that one but that's what you get for being the second biggest state... lots to cover with dull bits.

If you had 14-20 days and wanted to include New Orleans where would you head?

Simple, I'd do the west coast and some of the rockies then fly down to New Orleans, have a few days there then fly home from there

The internal flights are very numerous and there's lots of budget airlines so it wouldn't be that expensive and a lot less boring than driving

 

[Bravo4]

No doubt a car will give you the most freedom of travel over here but you might want to have a look at the train system, Amtrak. Lots of travel pass options and people on the trains tend to be very friendly and interesting fellow travelers.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conte...ge/HomePage&p=1237405732502&cid=1237405732502

Check out the southern routes; many options, fly into Atlanta, take the train to New Orleans, over to Florida then back up the coast to Atlanta.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1237608339235/1237405732511

ATB
B4

 

[Big Geordie]

I did some research on this last time I was there. Most of the Americans I spoke to recommended a Railway Ticket for the full period.
Firstly you can get on or off anywhere you fancy, and rejoin when you are ready.
Second, you dont have to pay for much accomodation, you can sleep on the train as it goes round if you want. Note there are some dull bits !!
Third, no pressure to drive/ no alcohol if you drive etc
Fourth, you really will have loads of energy to enjoy yourself wherever you choose to stop ( no driving stress)

Have a look at it. Its what we will be doing next time I'm over there.
G

 

[korvin karbon]

the train idea is somethign i am considering however a huge spanner has been flung in the works !!!!! Being a senior engineer and the geekiest one in the entire firm i get dragged along to the more interesting jobs ( ones nobody else wants to touch ) and one has popped up. Not got all of the details yet but ive been told that i might be needed GRRRRR

If things do go go wrong then it will be the sumemr that i plan on touring the states properley. Always wanted to see it and to meet real americans (if you know what i mean).

 

[Draven]

I was born in Maryland, and we went to West Virginia yearly, driving through the Appalachian Mountains. They're beautiful, and I wouldn't think of visiting America without seeing them again. They stretch as far down as Georgia and Alabama IIRC.

I would personally recommend against a guided tour. It's the sort of country where just about any journey outside city limits (and outside the desert, though that might be your thing, there are some stunning natural rock formations!) is a scenic one. It would be amazing to travel America by train for a few months, but equally so to do it by car or motorcycle and I think any of those would be much better than a bus!

Only thing I'll add is that while America is a very friendly country, stay polite. I have no intention to insinuate that you're not, but in my experience, the cultural tolerances regarding manners can be very different from the UK to the USA and indeed, between different areas in the US and I could certainly see a lot of people (not seen to be impolite) I know over here rubbing people up the wrong way over there.

Pete

 

[Chinkapin]

Everything Martin1 and Draven says is spot on.

I would skip New Orleans if I was you, it is a shadow of its former self.

Crime in America is nothing like portrayed on television. The country is safe. Just stay out of poor neighborhoods, and redneck bars and you will be fine. Don't attempt to buy drugs. Some states (California) for example are rather lenient, others such as Texas will put you so far back in prison they will have to pump daylight to you.

Good food is easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Just ask people for their recommendation.

Tour by car if you can afford it, better, by motorcycle if you can ride. It is the only way to appreciate the vastness of the country. I once rode from southern Kansas to the state of Washington and up to Canada. Only then did I really understand the vastness of the West.

Most people are genuinely friendly and helpful. Most people here in the hinterland enjoy meeting someone from a foreign land (particularly one that speak English). Although they may have difficulty understanding you! lol.

Most people with treat you politely and expect politeness in return. We do not tolerate rudeness very well. Oftentimes some Europeans come across as rude, when they have no idea that is how they are being perceived.

Avoiding discussions of politics, and religion is a good idea. America is a young country and young countries are always a bit hyper-nationalistic and hyper-patriotic. Word to the wise: Its not a good idea to make snide comments about the country or its leaders. Some people have little tolerance for this and may get hostile. Avoid these little pitfalls and you will be warmly welcomed and have a wonderful time.

All of my advice given above would be the same advice I would follow if I were going to Great Britain tomorrow and I'll wager that it would work just as well for me in your country as you in my country. What do you think?

 

[dogwood]

I agree that you've gotten very good advice here. I think Pete's comments (echoed by Chinkapin) about the politeness matter are well taken.

Because I'm in the UK a lot, I've got a number of pretty good friends there and sometimes, even after years together, I'm taken aback by the way they talk to each other (and me). There's a difference in style between our countries -- I think that Brits have a directness that sometimes strikes us Yanks as rudeness. That's not to say that we're not abrasive to others in our own way! But we do value politeness -- especially so in the South and West and Midwest, less so in the Northeast.

Renting a car is a good idea. It's pretty hard to get around here without one.

Plus I think your instincts about visiting the South are good. As much as I love the West, it's a long haul from the UK and there's plenty to explore in the south. Let me recommend coastal Georgia to you (St. Simon's Island!) as well as both North and South Carolina.

But I have one particular recommendation for you: The area around Asheville, North Carolina is quickly becoming one of the outdoor sports capitals of the US.

You could easily spend your whole trip there backpacking, white water kayaking, biking, horseback riding etc. It's really, really a great area. Mountains, water, dense forests, and the town of Asheville itself is terrific.

I hope your job lets you get over here!

 

[korvin karbon]

well guys, you have just gone and done it. Not going over just now as its clear that i need to dedicate atleast 6 - 8 weeks to touring so i will be putting my extended holiday request form in next week to take the summer off.

Can anyone recommend a decent tour guide that does not hinge on disneyland and las vegas??

thanks for all replies guys

 

[Chinkapin]

Something that just occurred to me, that I want to add. I recently watched a series that featured a Brit who toured all over America in a London cab. I'm sorry that I cannot think of the name of the series. Surely, someone on here knows the one to which I'm referring.

Anyway, he drove all over the U.S. and stopped at very interesting places. If you could get your hands on the series it would give you some ideas about which parts of the country that you might like to see. Just a thought.

If you are interested in the history of the U.S. Alistair Cook's America is absolutely excellent. Younger Brits may not be familiar with him but he was a reporter for the BBC who came to America as young man and remained here the rest of his life. Eventually he shot this series "America" for the BBC and produced a companion piece book, that was essentially the script for the series. The series was shot, to the best of my recollection in the 1970s and is a bit dated but still worth watching.

 

[Mesquite]

Something that just occurred to me, that I want to add. I recently watched a series that featured a Brit who toured all over America in a London cab. I'm sorry that I cannot think of the name of the series. Surely, someone on here knows the one to which I'm referring.

That was Stephen Fry In America